Kemi Badenoch has been praised for ejecting Robert Jenrick from the Conservative Party after discovering he planned to defect to Reform UK. The Tory leader acted on evidence that Jenrick had prepared a resignation speech and media strategy, sources said.
Just 24 hours after a phone call with Badenoch, senior figures in her office received screenshots of what was described as Jenrick's entire resignation speech, along with his media plan. The speech criticised senior Tories including Priti Patel and Mel Stride, and praised Nigel Farage as the 'right person' to lead the country.
Badenoch's team acted swiftly, advising her to sack Jenrick immediately. 'Kemi was regretful; she wished we weren't in this position,' one source said. 'But she was absolutely clear and focused: Rob had to go.' The chief whip, Rebecca Harris, phoned Jenrick, who angrily denied the defection plans.
Badenoch released a video message laying out the charges, timed to coincide with Farage's press conference in Scotland. Farage appeared caught off guard, saying there was no deal with Jenrick 'yet' and joking he might buy him a pint.
Condemnation of Jenrick from Conservatives was swift, with one MP calling him a 'coward' and another a 'traitor'. A former cabinet minister said Badenoch acted decisively, unlike Rishi Sunak, and that Jenrick's allies were 'not so clever after all'.
